


Inevitable

by helloearthlings



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Star Wars Fusion, Alternate Universe - Star Wars Setting, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Blood and Violence, Clone Wars, Established Relationship, Jedi, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-06
Updated: 2017-09-06
Packaged: 2018-12-24 11:48:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12012087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helloearthlings/pseuds/helloearthlings
Summary: “Leaving already?”Merlin hated the tone of Arthur’s voice; it would’ve been easier if he were angry, tetchy, annoyed. The unexpected softness of it, the shuddering breath of inevitably, of dread, of sadness, was somehow worse.“I have to,” Merlin turned apologetically in the half-light of Arthur’s chambers, one of Coruscant’s suns giving off a stream of light through the window. Merlin reached for his tunic. “Gaius and I have to be on Corellia to meet Annis in six days’ time.”





	Inevitable

**Author's Note:**

> So, my move went well. I love my apartment, having my car here, one of my roommates is really awesome, I had my first day of classes today, and decided to top it all off with writing a Molehill of Angst. Not a mountain because something under 2k can't be a mountain. 
> 
> Anyway, I love Star Wars, and I love Merlin Star Wars AUs where Merlin is a Jedi, so I wrote one. It's short and depressing but I'm glad I've added to the trope. Disclaimer: I've seen all of the Star Wars movies but not the prequels for awhile, so this is pretty up in the air as far as canon details go. Hope you can look past it - please enjoy!

“Leaving already?”

Merlin hated the tone of Arthur’s voice; it would’ve been easier if he were angry, tetchy, annoyed. The unexpected softness of it, the shuddering breath of inevitably, of dread, of _sadness_ , was somehow worse.

“I have to,” Merlin turned apologetically in the half-light of Arthur’s chambers, one of Coruscant’s suns giving off a stream of light through the window. Merlin reached for his tunic. “Gaius and I have to be on Corellia to meet Annis in six days’ time.”

Arthur was quiet for a moment; Merlin turned to him after he was fully dressed but not quite ready to stand up and leave the bed permanently. Arthur, shirtless and still half under the covers, gazed over at him with heavy eyes, his hair the kind of mess that no one but Merlin got to see Camelot’s perfect, golden king in. Arthur portrayed this flawless exterior to his subjects, the other kings and queens, the senators and representatives from all of the galaxy’s planets, but Merlin was the only one who got to see him with his hair plastered to one side of his face, the other side sticking up at odd angles.

Merlin reached a hand over to smooth it down. Arthur smiled up at him, but his eyes were tired.

“It’s alright,” Arthur said as if Merlin were the one angry with him. “I have to be back on Camelot in two weeks anyway. It was inevitable.”

Inevitable seemed to be their word lately – well, always. It was inevitable that they met. Inevitable that they became friends. Inevitable that they fell into bed together. Inevitable that they fell in love.

Inevitable that the world would keep them apart.

When Merlin replied, his voice was heavy, mouth tasting like sandpaper. “When will you be on Coruscant next?”

Arthur shrugged helplessly. “Presumably for the Senate hearings in two months’ time. But any kind of emergency could arise before then.”

Merlin knew they were both thinking of the kinds of emergencies that were likeliest; the kind that would bring Merlin back to the planet as well.

It wasn’t that they were hoping for war, but rather that war seemed as inevitable as the pair of them did.

“You’ll fight, of course,” Arthur said suddenly, and Merlin knew that the war wouldn’t be a topic easily let go. “You’re a Jedi – of course you will.”

“Still an apprentice,” Merlin corrected him lightly, reaching for his hand. He played with Arthur’s limp fingers, trying to distract him, but it was no use.

“You’ll be a Jedi soon,” Arthur shook his head as if Merlin would be an idiot for suggesting otherwise. “Especially with the war coming, they’ll want to make if official as soon as they can.”

“Gaius won’t let me go that easily,” Merlin hid a smile, thinking of his crotchety old mentor and his perpetual disapproval for Merlin and his usual disregard of the rules.

Not just the rules – the norms, the laws. Jedi couldn’t have emotional attachments, and here Merlin was, in a king’s chambers the night before he was to leave to discuss wartime plans with the queen of another planet.

It was the worst kind of conflict of interest, one Gaius would balk at if he knew. Somehow, Merlin thought he might already, and his affection for Merlin kept him from reporting him.

But again, they were about to enter the war of their lives; the Jedi Order might frown upon it, force Merlin away from Arthur forevermore, but he would get to keep being a Jedi.

Being a Jedi, however, wasn’t his biggest concern anymore. Not even the war was his biggest concern.

His concern was for the king with the second-greatest army in the galaxy, third-greatest resources in the galaxy, who would rather die than let his people suffer.

Arthur Pendragon would be a target, once this war began; he had painted the stripes for it himself long ago.

But then again, so had Merlin. Ever since he was nine years old and entered the Jedi Order, Gaius’ apprentice for the long fifteen years since.

“We’ll both be fighting,” Merlin finally said. “Me on the frontlines, you a league or two behind, or in the courtroom, or wherever the assassin’s blaster is trained first.”

“They’ll shoot Yoda first,” Arthur said dismissively, cracked a smile like it was a funny joke. Merlin just stared at him, at his messy hair and hopeless smile, and thought of how much he would miss Arthur if he died. How much he was _going_ to miss Arthur in their lifetime of constant separation.

Merlin moved a hand to trail down Arthur’s face, fingers brushing skin lightly, intently. Arthur smiled up at him, beaming as if nothing made him happier in the world, and maybe nothing did.

“Will you have more freedom,” Arthur said carefully, eyes guarded, and Merlin knew he was trying his hardest not to offend, to have disregard for the Jedi, for Merlin and what he could do for the Jedi in the days ahead, “once you’re a Master?”

Merlin knew what Arthur was asking – _will I see you more often_?

“Normally, yes,” Merlin frowned, bittersweet. “But with the war ahead? I don’t know. What about you? Your term as King will be up in two years. Will you run again? Or become a Senator?”

The look on Arthur’s face was unreadable, faraway, but when he spoke it was with deep intent. “You’ll be a Jedi all your life. You’re sworn to it, this duty of yours. And you love it besides. For at least some of the time, until you die or we lose this war, you’ll be on Coruscant.”

Arthur looked him dead in the eye, his blue eyes deep and genuine, and it seemed as if his words were inevitable. “So whether I’m the king or a senator… _I’ll_ be at Coruscant. At least some of the time.”

Merlin looked away, unable to understand this spring of loyalty that flowed between them, and had since seemingly the day they met. Dying for one another seemed as inevitable as anything else.

“I would run away with you,” Merlin offered, his lip quivering just slightly, “if we weren’t about to enter the war of our lifetime, a war to protect the freedom of the galaxy and the fates of our people…if all of that wasn’t hanging in the balance, I’d do it. Leave the Jedi Order to be with you.”

Arthur’s lips parted in amazement, and Merlin tried to memorize the look on his face, knowing that that kind of beauty could never be replicated. “I’d stop being a king. You know I would.”

“After the war,” Merlin, hands shaking, took one of Arthur’s hands, calloused from sword fighting, nails bitten, “if we both survive…we’ll leave. Go somewhere no one can find us. Okay?”

“You know that’ll never work,” Arthur shook his head, his pragmatism and common sense taking over. “If we win, we’ll need to stay and help rebuild. If we don’t…well. We’re too well-known to survive the next regime.”

“But can we promise it anyway?” Merlin couldn’t help but smile. “Knowing we’ll either die or choose duty over love is hardly something to fight for.”

“Okay,” Arthur smiled fondly, angling his head for a kiss. Merlin obliged, wondering, as he had every time they kissed, if this would be the last time. If the Jedi Order would discover them. If Arthur’s advisors would turn them in. If Arthur would send him away. If Arthur would die before they could find their way to one another again. “I promise.”

Merlin grasped Arthur’s hand one last time as he rose to his feet, leaning in for one last peck. “I…I love you.”

“I love you,” Arthur repeated, and he didn’t sink back into bed, like on so many mornings when Merlin had to leave him. Instead, he stayed seated, the look on his face pensive and longing, as if he were really considering something. He turned to meet Merlin’s eye. “Please be safe. And I know you won’t believe me, but I really would run away with you. If you asked.”

“Someday, I promise I’ll ask,” Merlin said, and had never meant anything more. The inevitability of his love for Arthur was too great to fall short of things like facts, statistics, the chances of their deaths fast approaching.

He kissed Arthur one last time for good measure; the two before hadn’t been perfect enough for a last kiss.

* * *

 

Everyone knows their history lessons. Everyone knows no Jedi survived the war.

* * *

 

Arthur’s body rolled toward Merlin’s.

Merlin, mind and eyes overcome by pain, thought he might already be dead, but he knew he couldn’t be, not yet.

Merlin reached an arm out to stop Arthur’s body, scarlet with blood pouring from his stomach, the result of three blasters from three different clones. His eyes were as red as his blood, but his mouth was still trying to gasp something out, wet hand reaching desperately toward Merlin.

Merlin’s arm on one side of his body was entirely gone now; he hadn’t tried to look at the sawn off piece, knowing that it would only push him closer to the edge.

His arm wasn’t his biggest problem; it had been cut off by a lightsaber, yes, which was always the most dangerous weapon, but the blaster shot just below his neck would be what killed him first.

Luckily, Merlin was a Jedi master; he shoved all of his pain to the back of his mind, willing the Force to grant him one last favor.

“We’re together,” Merlin croaked out, his and Arthur’s bloody hands entwined. “That’s what matters. We could’ve died on opposite sides of the galaxy, but we died together.”

“Glad…..glad…you’re here,” Arthur finally managed to get out, and Merlin wished he had the capability to wipe the tears and sweat out of his face. His hair was messy, the way Merlin had always liked, but this time it wasn’t from sleep.

“Hey,” Merlin gripped Arthur’s fingers as hard as he possibly could, “we’re running away together. Running…running to another life. Right?”

Arthur blinked at him, and Merlin could see his eyes slowly going darker. He squeezed as hard as he could.

Arthur nodded, gasped out the word _yes_ , and his eyes went dark.

Merlin didn’t let himself sob. He just let himself follow.


End file.
